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A Curriculum for Teaching Scientific Presentation Skills to Graduate Students
Author(s) -
Paul Dennis
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.719.12
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , curriculum , public speaking , medical education , socratic method , psychology , scientific writing , mathematics education , pedagogy , medicine , radiology , art , linguistics , philosophy , literature , epistemology
Communication of ideas is critical to the careers of all scientists. Scientists with superior presentation and teaching skills are more likely to secure employment and be recognized by their peers. Typically, training of these skills is left to the individual's mentor, which can vary greatly. Instead, we have designed a course to teach scientific presentation skills. The curriculum comprises introductory didactic instruction and laboratory/Socratic sessions for each skill. Abstract writing, poster design, slide design, 10 min. conference presentations, seminars, lecturing and question writing skills are practiced in a low‐stress setting. For all oral presentations, we employ peer and instructor critique followed by revision and re‐presentation. Development of an appropriate personal style is stressed. We have developed exercises to address critical thinking, and nervousness/panic situations. Over 15 years that the course has been offered, 76% of students have received formal recognition for a presentation, at local or national meetings, including two ASPET student awards.